Trump says Elon Musk will step down soon as head of DOGE
However, DOGE will continue till 2026 under Trump’s executive order; Musk has hired high-level leaders to run agencies throughout the government in his stead
US President Donald Trump has said the head of the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), Elon Musk, will be leaving his positionsoon.
“He’s got a big company to run … at some point he’s going to be going back,” Trump told media persons. He added, “I’d keep him as long as I could keep him.”
According to a Politico report, Trump informed his inner circle, including Cabinet members, that Musk would be stepping down from his current position in the upcoming weeks.
Despite earlier claims from the White House that he was ‘here to stay’, it seems that Trump and Musk have decided to let him return to his business.
Also read: Anti-DOGE protesters in US target Musk where it will hurt — Tesla
Evolving roles
Elon Musk is currently a Senior Advisor to the US President and as a special government employee, he faces a strict 130-day cap on his service. This is expected to expire in late May or early June. As a special government employee, he is also exempt from certain ethics and conflict-of-interest rules.
According to reports, Trump is not displeased at him and DOGE, but he is expected to take on more of a ‘supporting role’ as their political relationship evolves.
However, DOGE will continue till 2026, under Trump’s executive order. Elon Musk has also hired high-level leaders to run agencies throughout the government in his stead, outlasting his service, according to a report by The Guardian.
Also read: India’s rush to mollycoddle Trump’s oligarch raises many questions
PR cleanup
Insiders of the Trump administration and outside allies were frustrated by the billionaire's unpredictability, and viewed him as a ‘political liability’, according to the report.
Trump seemed to be more mindful of next year’s midterms, and made sure he doesn’t jeopardize his House majority. This meant that he kept a discerning eye on the town hall outrage over DOGE, although Republicans chalked it up to being coordinated liberal dramatics.
Also read: As Tesla shares continue to tumble, analysts blame ‘Trump bump’
One senior administration official said that Elon Musk will likely retain an informal role as an adviser, and be an occasional face around the White House, while other officials said that anyone assuming he will disappear completely from Trump’s side is ‘fooling themselves’.
